The Cavaliers don’t get much time to enjoy Wednesday’s win at Madison Square Garden. A demanding run is already lined up, and it should say plenty about what kind of team Cleveland really is.
First comes a Friday night trip to Miami, where the Cavs will face a Heat group that stumbled out of the gate at 0-4 but has since won five of its last seven. Giannis Antetokounmpo and his new Heat team will also be rested, having not played since Tuesday.
The game is part of the NBA Cup group stage, which only adds to the edge. Road wins are hard enough in the NBA, and doing it on a Friday night in Miami raises the temperature even more.
Let’s just hope they keep James Harden away from South Beach until after the game.
After that, Cleveland heads home for four straight at Rocket Arena, a stretch that should feel manageable for a team that wants to be taken seriously. The homestand starts with the Cooper Flagg-led Dallas Mavericks and the Cameron Boozer-led Memphis Grizzlies, with a visit from the rebuilding Chicago Bulls in between.
Dallas enters Thursday at 7-4 and is 2-2 on the road. Memphis is also 7-4, but the Grizzlies have been much better away from home, going 5-0.
Even with Boozer being worked in as a primary offensive option, the Cavs have no excuses.
The Bulls shouldn’t present much of a problem on Cleveland’s floor, especially if Caleb Wilson remains out with a hand injury. Chicago’s future may look promising, but this veteran Cavs group should expect to take care of business there.
Two nights later, Indiana comes in for an Emirates NBA Cup game. The Pacers are 4-8 and still without Tyrese Haliburton because of a hamstring injury, but Rick Carlisle’s team has been steady defensively and will force Cleveland to earn it. If the Cavs’ stars take over, their talent should eventually carry them through.
Then comes the real measuring stick: a Thanksgiving Eve rematch with the Knicks. That game should be one of the toughest tests Cleveland has faced so far, and it may tell us the most.
How will James Harden follow up his 32-point performance? Will Evan Mobley be more assertive?
What kind of difference would Sam Merrill’s shooting make if he returns and gives Donovan Mitchell more space against a strong New York defense?
By the time the holiday arrives, Cleveland could have a much clearer identity. A road test in Miami, four home games and then another shot at New York give the Cavaliers a real chance to stack wins and build momentum. Whether Wednesday’s Garden victory turns into something bigger or fades into the background, this stretch should help answer that question.
In Other News...
Cavs Already Facing Heat Over Their James Harden Bet
The Cavaliers brought James Harden back on a three-year, $97 million deal after their run to the Eastern Conference Finals, betting that his shot creation and playoff pedigree would help keep them in the conferences top tier. Instead, the early portion of the 2026-27 season has been choppier than expected, with Harden still producing offense but not at the level Cleveland envisioned when it committed that kind of money in the offseason.
Through 12 games, the fit has already become a talking point as Harden has struggled to find the same efficiency and consistency that made the move look so appealing in the first place. Cleveland sits at 6-6 and sixth in the East, which is hardly a disaster this early, but it is enough to make the Harden decision feel like one the Cavaliers will be asked about until he starts looking more like the player they paid for. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Suddenly Have A Sam Merrill Decision Fans Didn't Expect
Sam Merrill has quietly become one of the more useful two-way pieces on Clevelands roster, the kind of wing who can help in a lot of small but important ways when the Cavaliers are trying to round out a rotation. Even with the depth the team has at that spot, Merrills rise has made him more than just a fill-in option, and that has created a real decision point for a front office that has to balance present value with future flexibility.
The complication is that Merrill is still working through an elbow injury that has affected his shooting, which makes the timing of any evaluation tricky. Cleveland would like to see his performance rebound as he gets healthier, but interest from other teams has only sharpened the question of whether the Cavaliers should hold onto him or explore moving him while his market remains active. [Read more 🡒]
Why Mark Price Still Means So Much To Cavaliers Fans
The Cavaliers have long kept Mark Price in a special place in their history, and the franchise made that official on Nov. 13, 1999, when it retired his No. 25 jersey during halftime of a game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Price became only the sixth player in team history to receive that honor, a reminder of how deeply his steady play and professional approach still resonate with Cleveland fans.
The ceremony carried the kind of old-school weight that fit Price perfectly, with Wayne Embry and Bobby Cremins on hand to speak about his impact. He was also presented with a piece of the old Richfield Coliseum floor, a symbolic touch that tied his Cavaliers legacy to one of the franchises most memorable eras. [Read more 🡒]